Locking device for coil-boxes and switches.



H. W. NEAL. LOCKING DEVICE FOR con aoxzs AND SWITCH'ESL APPLICATION FILED DEC-2|. I916.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Arro/P/v a HARRY W. NEAL, 011i INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

LOOKING DEVICE FOR COIL-BOXES AND SWITCHES.

Specification 01' Letter: Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

, Application filed December 21, 1818. Serial No. 138,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I HARRY W. NEAL, a citizen of the United tates, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Coil Boxcs and Switches, of which the following is a specificat'on.

This invention relates to ertain means for locking the coil-boxes and switches,'controlling the electric circuits in automobile construction, against impertinent or felonious tam erin T e ob ect of the invention, in addition to the loc ing the coil-box and circuit control switch against unauthorized tampering, is to prevent temporary connections being made between the coils and high tension cables, for shuntin the electric current around the switch with impertinent or felonious intent. v

A further object of the invention consists in the-provision of a device of the above character which will be simpleinconstrue tion, eflicient in operation and which will be cheap to manufacture.

I accomplish the above objects of the invention, and such others as will a pear from a perusal of the specification an claims, by means. of the cogstruction ifllustrated in the accom an rawings, ormin a part hereof in whIchg Fi re 1 is a side elevation of a conventiona style of a coil-box employed in automobile construction, showing the housing for inclosing the switch, in section. Fi 2 is a fragmenta detail in front elevation of the coil-box, s owing my invention in ope'rl, ative position. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2. Fig. '1 is a cross section on the line 44 in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a face vicwofswitch,

' the remaining structure being omitted. Fig.

6 is an edge view of the switch' shifting blade interposed between the key and switch. Fig. 7 is a front view of the lade shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the blade shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 9 is a cross section of the blade on the line 9 9 in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the invention in an assembled condition, the coil-box being omitted.

Referring to the drawings, 15 represents a conventional stfyle of a box comprising two separate parts or housing the induction coils within the electric circuits 1n automobile construction, and 16 the case for inclosmg the movable parts of the switch. The case 16, for convenience, is preferably mounted upon the front side of the box 15. Fig. 5 of the drawings shows a preferred sty e of a switch in which the blade 7.? is shifted through the oscillation of shaft 18 to close'the circuit between switch-points A and B, or A and 0, depending upon the direction m. which blade. 17 is shifted. Switch case 16 is generally provided with a faceplate but in aplying my invention this plate is remoJ ,leaving the movable parts ofthe switch exposed as shown in Fig. 5.

In the application 0 m invention, I pro vlde a. housing 20, whic conforms some what to the contour of case 16, for inclosing said 'case 16. Upon the front face of hous ng 20 I form an integral sleeve 19 for housmg the tumblers of a cylinder lock of any usual or suitaJble construction. With the insertion of the proper key 21 the latter is free to oscillate a cylinder 22 which oscillates a flat bar 23. Bar 23 e l slot 24 in shifting plate 25 and the 'tter carries a disk 26wlnch is provided withdhe lugs 27 which engage the recesses 28iin-th'e end of shaft 18. y means o'f this constri ctmnblade 17 of the switch is shifted by the manipulation, of key 21.

Housing 20 is retained in position upon the face of box 15 and the box is locked by means of a metal strap comprisin as it; first member a strap-section 30 having one end 31 bent at right an Ice to its body and adapted rioproject into Iiousing 20 where it is secure 'from the inside of the housing by met. 3 of a-screw 32, the osition of screw 32 bei g such as to render it inaccessible from the outside of housing 20. Section 30 extends upward along the front surface of box 15 and thence across the top 'to the back edge of the latter where the. section is cut away to provide a tongue 33 having its outer end bent into a hook 34. Hook 34 is projected through a slot, 36 in the second section 37 of the strap and hooks over that portion of section 37 above said slot, whereby the two sections are seem d t 'gether against acci dental displacement when the lower end of section 37 is made fast. permanent hinged-connection etween sections 30 and 37 IOIlhG reason that the right angle end 81 could not be passed between box 15 and dash-board on vehicles already in use without disturbing box 15, and this I I dispense with u.

have no desire to do. However, I desire to have it understood that I contemplate a permanent connection between these two sections when my device is installed on vehicles durin their course of manufacture. Section 3% extends vertically along the rear wall of box 15 and is rovided near its lower end with a slot 38'1nto which is projected a means of a screw 48 locking-tongue 42 is permanently secured to plate47. The insertion and removal of screw 48' is eifected through an aperture 50 located in the face of housing 20, and to prevent the removal of this screw 48. and the removal of the de- -vice from the. box 15 and switch with for lonious intentions, when the vehicle is left unguar m invention and will now be described.

' t has heretofore been mentioned that plate 17 of the switch is shiftedby key 21 through the introduction ofa shifting-plate 25, and this plate is of suilicient length to overlap aperture 50 when plate 17 of switch stands in neutral position shown in Fig. 5. Key 21 can be introduced and removed only from the look when the switch plate 17 is standing in neutral position so that shifting plate. 25 seals aperture 50 when theke is removed and the vehicle is left stan ing unguarded. After key 21 is inserted into the lock a quarter turn of a revolution of the key is suflicient to shift plate 17'of the switchto close the desired electrical circuit. It will be understood that when the key is given a quarter turn sliding-plate 25 is moved a like distance and renders screw 48 accessible through aperture 50. The operathreaded aperture 46 in a brace-plate 47 permanently fixed inside box 15, and by ren iermg the secured and of ded, is one of the chief features of tor is required however to return key 21 to said switch, a key for actuating said switch.

means extending circumferentially around said box and permanently secured atone end within said box, means for detach-ably secu1' ing the other endof said circumferential means within said boxfor holding the two parts of the box together, and means renderin the detachable securing means inaccessib e when the key is removed.

2. The combination, with an induction coil box and switch, of means for incasing said switch, a key for actuating said switch, means extending circumferentially around said coiLbox for holding the two arts of said box together and having one en rigidly secured and the other end detachably secured inside the switch incasing means, and independent means actuated 'b the key for the circumferentlally extending means inaccessible when "the switch stands in neutral position.

3. The combination .with an induction coil-box and switch, a case for closing said switch and having an aperture leading therein, a key for actuating said switch, a strap passing circumferentially around said I box and having one end attached within the box, meansfar detachably securing the other end of said strap said securing means being accessible through saidaperture, and means actuated by the key 'fpixclosk fsaid aperture and rendering said de fiiable strap securing means inaccessible when the switch stands in neutral position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 14th day of December, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and' sixteen.

HARRY W. NEAL. fn. s.] 

